BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 22. The UK sees
potential for cooperation with Kazakhstan not only in mineral
extraction, but also in mineral processing and the production of
high value-added products, UK Trade Envoy to Azerbaijan and Central
Asia Lord John Alderdice said.
According to the Ministry of Trade and Integration of
Kazakhstan, Alderdice made the remarks during a meeting with
Kazakhstan’s Minister of Trade and Integration Arman Shakkaliyev,
where the sides discussed bilateral trade, expansion of Kazakh
exports, industrial cooperation, investment, and scientific and
educational ties.
“Kazakhstan has significant natural resources, but it is
particularly important that you are setting the task not to limit
yourselves to their extraction, but to create added value and
develop processing. This is where we see great opportunities for
cooperation,” Lord John Alderdice said.
Particular attention during the meeting was paid to critical
minerals and opportunities to develop processing industries in
Kazakhstan. Alderdice also noted the potential for cooperation
between British companies, universities and research centers and
Kazakh organizations in mining, mineral processing and the nuclear
industry.
Shakkaliyev noted that Kazakhstan, in turn, is interested in
diversifying the structure of bilateral trade and increasing
exports of higher value-added products. The country’s current
exports to the UK mainly include silver, crude oil, copper and
copper cathodes.
“It is important for us to move from the growth achieved to
deeper and more diversified trade. First of all, we are interested
in expanding exports of Kazakh products to the British market
beyond raw materials,” Shakkaliyev said.
To support this goal, the minister proposed organizing a trade
and economic mission of British importers and representatives of
retail chains to Kazakhstan to establish direct contacts with local
producers.
The sides also discussed British market requirements for the
quality, certification, packaging and standards of potential Kazakh
export products.
Investment cooperation was another focus of the meeting. The
sides considered opportunities for attracting British investment to
Kazakhstan’s manufacturing industry, energy, logistics and
high-tech sectors, as well as expanding direct contacts between
companies of the two countries.
The meeting also covered cooperation in standardization, export
promotion, science and education. Kazakhstan expressed interest in
exchanging experience with the UK Institute of Export and
International Trade and further developing cooperation between
KazStandard and the British Standards Institution (BSI).
The sides also discussed preparing Kazakh exporters for carbon
regulations, including the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism
(CBAM).
Following the meeting, the sides confirmed their interest in
moving toward specific trade, investment, industrial and scientific
projects, as well as expanding direct contacts between businesses
and relevant organizations.
Trade turnover between Kazakhstan and the UK amounted to $1.63
billion in 2025, increasing by 83.7% compared with 2024. In
January-July 2026, bilateral trade reached $1.25 billion, up 68.5%
compared with the same period of 2025.
